


Caught By A Thread

by CyberSearcher



Series: Mafia AU [2]
Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: 'friends', Assassin Zane (Ninjago), Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, F/F, Friends With Benefits, Implied Sexual Content, Innuendo, Intimacy, Intimidation, It gets messy is what im saying, M/M, Mafia AU, Mob Boss Kai (Ninjago), but nah, i blame discord, okay this should probably be a full story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-15
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 23:47:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25274905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CyberSearcher/pseuds/CyberSearcher
Summary: Zane hadn't though he'd gotten as far as he did with the'Red Shogun'. He's alive and he seems to have his favour. Things grow more complicated when he realized that Kai wants to keep him around for more than just his looks.
Relationships: Kai/Zane (Ninjago), Nya/P.I.X.A.L. (Ninjago), P.I.X.A.L. & Zane (Ninjago)
Series: Mafia AU [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1831087
Comments: 13
Kudos: 46





	1. Lines

**Author's Note:**

> To quote a friend, 'Opposite is living in my head rent free.' Not that I'm gonna complain. I've got plenty of fodder for this ship.

Zane awoke to the smell of cigarette ashes and something cold licking his face. 

He sat up and rubbed away the saliva. “I didn’t think you were the type to be so crass Mister Sm - “ 

Blinking, there were a pair of wolf dogs staring up at him with wide, drooling grins. Both were coloured an ashy brown and speckled black, wearing what looked like tactical vests. There was one sitting by his feet, the other turned to walk back towards the door. 

Zane could feel a headache burn at the edges of his vision and pinched his nose. He rubbed at his forehead, hand sliding down to brush at the nape of his hair. Then he hissed at the contact, pulling his fingers back and carefully prodding the area. 

The events of last night were hazy, but even then, Zane had no trouble remembering what happened. Looking down at the bedsheets, he found the side opposite to him was hastily thrown over and a pair of red boxers were half-hidden under them. 

Another wave of hangover struck him and Zane hissed through clenched teeth. He heard the dog padding towards him and felt it shove it’s wet nose against his hands. The man tried to push it away, but the dog wouldn’t give up so easily. 

“Okay, please, thank you that is enough.” 

He half-heartedly tried to push the animal off, but it was at least half his weight and the dog wasn’t nurding a headache. Eventually, Zane sighed and let it sniff at his face, deciding it best to just let the dog get on with it.

Part of him was worried that it would attack him, but if it didn’t bite his face off in his sleep, Zane figured it was docile though. The man reached up behind its ears and gave it a generous scratch. He felt it’s tail beat happily against the bed and it lowered it’s head into his lap.

Zane took a moment to read the collar. “Bonny? Hmm, I didn’t think Mister Smith would choose such a historically precedent name.” 

The dog just continued to wag her tail against the sheets and edged more of it’s head over his torso. Zane was forced to lean back against the headboard, essentially pinned down until the dog was content with his scratching. He just rolled his eyes, smiled, and reached up with the second hand. 

“You are just as dramatic as your owner.” Zane sighed. 

Bonny tilted her head slightly, then turned around towards the door and abruptly pushed off. The man gave a small grunt as the dog leapt off his midsection, narrowing his eyes at the doorway. Zane smoothed over his expression and hair, hearing the second dog returning along with a new set of footsteps. 

Belatedly, he realized he couldn’t see any of his clothes within arms reach. The only thing he could see was his jacket, but that was thrown at least ten paces away. He stopped his hands from pulling up the covers and narrowed his gaze as Kai stepped though. 

The mob boss wore a loose set of pants and a half-buttoned up shirt that showed off all the marks Zane had left. He forced himself not to think about the scratches across his back from his nails, or just how many bruises and bites Kai had left on him. No doubt he’d be feeling them for weeks. 

“Mornin’ snowflake.” He grinned. “Hope you enjoyed your beauty sleep.”

“It was decent,” Zane suddenly recognized what Kai was wearing, “but I’d appreciate you returning my shirt, Mister Smith.”

The man just laughed, throwing himself back onto the bed and folding his hands behind his head. Zane didn’t know what to make of the action and let himself frown with disapproval. Kai rolled his eyes, reaching down to pet the dog that came with him. 

“Yea, yea, I’ll feed you Clyde.” He muttered, then glanced back to Zane. “Looks like Bonny likes you.” 

He saw that the dog was looking up to him again. Kai rolled over and traced a palm over Zanes chest, nails catching into the worn flesh. The mob boss watched for a reaction with hooded eyes and a toothy smirk. 

Zane caught the hand before it could dip below the sheets, meeting his gaze with cool indifference. “I am sorry to disappoint you, but I do not intend to warm your bed all day.”

He was still wearing the red gloves. The fabric was shear and clung like a second skin to his fingers. The mob boss’ eyes narrowed at the challenge. Zane wasn’t surprised when Kai moved to straddle his hips, his free hand caging his head. 

“What? You tellin’ me you wouldn’t enjoy that?” His mouth hovered over his shoulders, hot breath ghosting over hickies. “God, you look even better in red than me.”

“With all due respect, flattery will get you nowhere.” Zane said. “Now, unless you intend to let me walk out naked, return my clothes and let me go about my day.”

Kai reached for his throat with the slightest pressure. “Who said I’m gonna let you go, snowflake?” 

“Do you intend to let your pets watch as you fuck me, then?” He asked deadpan.

As if on cue, Bonny tugged at the bedsheets. Kai gave a dramatic groan as he threw his legs over the bed. He tugged his shirt over his head and threw it over his shoulder. Zane caught it and began re-buttoning the collar. 

“Pants are somewhere ‘round here.” Kai muttered, running a hand through his hair. “Feel free to keep ‘em off though.” 

Now without the haze of alcohol and lust, Zane got a good look at the man. As he suspected, there were long red marks his nails had dug into his back. But under that, there was a thick cross hatching of scars. He could guess what caused most of them; knives, blunt objects and several burning edges. 

Kai looked over his shoulder, catching his analytical stare. “Like what you seein’ ?” 

“I’d be more impressed if you let me change in privacy, Mister Smith.” 

“Well we don’t always get what we want.” 

The dog he called Clyde tugged at the cuffs of his pants. Zane grinned internally as they both practically dragged him out of the room. Watching as the mob boss was pulled out of the room, he waited a few minutes before finally pushing himself out of bed. 

Locking the door just for extra security, Zane found his pants and boxers nearby and smoothed out the wrinkles as he pulled them on. Finding his shoes kicked under the bed frame, Zane dragged them out before finally kneeling by his jacket. 

He was smart enough not to carry anything that could be used to find his identity. All he carried was a burner phone and some spare cash. Zane was pleasantly surprised to find a pair of red gloves tucked into the pockets.

Zane thumbed the material with a surprised expression. He still wasn’t wholly sure what to make of the mafia boss, other than the fact he was - more or less - as erratic as rumor said. The assassin pocketed the gloves carefully, making a reminder to not forget them the next time he went out. 

He pulled up the collar of his jacket in an attempt to hide some of the bites layered over his neck. Smoothing down his hair, he stepped back into the hallway and the now empty club. 

The music was still the same, thrumming electronic pop and despite it being - presumably - early into the day there were people at the bar. Narrowing his eyes, Zane could see some also wore red gloves. He heard footsteps behind him and didn’t react as Kai slid his arms around his hips. 

“Feel free to stop by any time, snowflake.” He purred. “Always happy seein’ a pretty face.” 

“Is the only reason you wish to keep me around?” Zane hummed. 

Kai huffed. “Please, consider it lucky I’m letting you walk away. I don’t usually take kindly to losing my belongings.”

Zane held himself still as Kai spun him around and abruptly tore off one of the top buttons with his teeth. He pressed his cheek against his, teasing the edge of his ear. 

“So, am I gonna have to track you down myself? Or am I gonna be seein’ you again? First drinks are gonna be on me.”

“If you are as hospitable as you were last night, I see no reason to object.” 

“Hospitable, sure.” Kai scoffed. 

His hands kneaded at his hips before finally letting go. The mob boss gave him a mock salute as Zane turned his heel and exited the building. The sudden rush of sunlight made his eyes sting and Zane kept his head down as he made his way back to his apartment. 

Every so often, he’d notice someone else with red gloves making their way towards the bar. Zane made note of their faces, ages and the little details that gave away their mood. Most looked anxious and there were a few who wouldn’t stop tugging at their shirts. One of them - a man around his age - massaged at a large bite across his neck. 

He couldn’t sense anyone following him, but Zane still took precautions. He took the longer route back, stepping through crowds and into busting cafes. Soon, the assassin made his way back to his apartment and gave one last glance over his shoulder as he opened the door. 

Setting his coat on the rack and fishing out his phone, he made his way to the kitchen and began pulling out eggs for a simple omelette just as the alarm went off to remind him to eat breakfast. 

Working with one hand and searching through his contacts with the other, Zane tucked it against his ear as he waited for the pan to heat up. After a brief minute, the dialup sound stopped. 

“Yes?”

“Hello Pixal.” Zane greeted, noting that her voice sounded a touch off. “Busy night?” 

“That would be one way to put it.” 

He heard soft scuffling in the background and the sound of a sheet being pulled. Zane let himself laugh. “It certainly would be.”

“Rumor has it you can say the same.” Pixal threw back. “How was your meeting?” 

Zane collected his thoughts as he cut up bell peppers, grated carrots, and mixed both into the beaten eggs. “It was insightful, but I am still unsure if they are worth trusting. The brother especially.”

“If Nya wanted to hurt me, she has had many chances to do so.” She stated. “Though your concerns are not unprecedented. Both have the reputation of being unpredictable, Kai more so than his sister.” 

It didn’t take long for his breakfast to be finished and Zane grabbed a glass of orange juice he’d squeezed last night in preparation for his hangover. Carrying both up to the topmost floor, he let himself breathe in the marginally cleaner air of the open rooftops.

There was a small garden tended to by the landowner and a few others, with an iron frame chair and table looking down onto the streets. Zane took the seat, cut a small piece of egg and held it in the air.

He heard a soft cry and felt the tips of feathers brush his head as the food was snatched from his finger. The Falcon landed off to the side to eat as Zane began to recall last night to Pixal.

“Kai acts like a playboy, but he may be smarter than he lets on. He is very much willing to resort to violence and I believe I was lucky to leave with no serious injuries. He is very sure of himself, possessive and vain.” 

“That certainly fits what Nya tells me he is like.” Pixel mused. “He also tends to be very ‘hands on’ with his dealings. He does not seem to trust most of his subordinates with them.” 

Zane gave a sound of approval, sipping from his glass and looking down onto the street. “He does not seem to know who I am, however. Do you think it would be wise to keep it that way for now?”

“If they do not know, they may soon.” She said. “They have been following your work and I have heard rumors they are looking to hire you.”

The man laughed quietly. “It is ironic you should say that, Kai has already offered me a pair of gloves.” 

“Already?” Pixel echoed. “That certainly is surprising.”

“At the very least, this means Borg will have his protection sooner.” He mused. 

Zane heard the woman on the other side give a small sigh of relief. “That is good. As… chaotic as the Smith Siblings are, their name has a reputation and their people are trained extensively. Hopefully you will no longer need to shadow father the next time he must go out.”

“You assume even then I will not.” He stated. 

Pixel gave a soft laugh. “I suppose so. You may be receiving a call in the afternoon though, Nya has spoken of arranging a meeting. I would recommend bringing some form of weapon to be sure.”

Zane was already categorizing which pistol and silencer to use and what poisons he’d have to prepare. The Falcon was finished with it’s snack and fluttered up onto the table. It lowered its head and Zane stroked it’s feathers. 

“Be safe, Pixal.” 

“You too, good luck Zane.”


	2. Hook

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Changed the the warnings cause things get bloody in this chapter. So as a formal warning, probably don't read this if you don't like vivid descriptions of injury.

Nya crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against Kai’s desk while he lounged in his chair. “Don’t tell me you actually gave him a pair of gloves.” 

“And if I did?” He said dismissively.

“I’m being serious. It’s fine if you like toying with the grunts, but letting a stranger in is dangerous.” 

Kai rolled his eyes. “You keep Pixal around.”

“She’s different, asshole.”

He smirked when he saw the blush she couldn’t hide in time. Her arms tensed over her chest and she huffed out a frustrated sigh. 

“Pixals provided us both valuable information and she’s reliable to deliver. I know I can trust her.” 

Kai leaned back in his chair, fanning his face with another polaroid. “As if we can trust anyone.” 

“Have you at least figured out how to get in contact with that assassin?” 

“Yea, yea.” 

He pulled open his drawer and set a scrap of paper onto the desk. Beside him, Bonny trotted forward and Kai let a hand drop to scratch at her ears. On the paper itself was the list of common factors between the Ice Cold Killers clients and meeting places. 

They were often in unconventionally and - for lack of better word - classy locations. Museums, high-end cafes and similar locations. Oftentimes, the assassin never met in person and would communicate exclusively through printed letters or emails. 

Ronin’s name was actually on the list of people the assassin would communicate through. The smuggler was also one of the clients who’d hired him. There were a few other names he recognized; Dareth, who ran a bar that was considered a sanctuary. And ‘The Quiet One’, an anarchist with a habit of targeting politicians. 

“He doesn’t seem to be working for anyone else.” Kai drawled. “He doesn’t seem to answer to anyone we know, either. The jobs he does take are weirdly specific too, I don’t think I’ve seen him kill anyone with a family.” 

“That isn’t a lot, but it lines up with what I’ve found too.” Nya mentioned, pulling up a set of notes on a small pad tucked into her breast pocket. 

“His activities are infrequent but his methods are very meticulous. But he has recently been taking jobs on our terf. He’s taken some contracts and a few bounties, even a few of our own.”

“What, you mean that… what was his name?” Kai pretended to muse. “He was an asshole anyways, just wish I was there to do it myself.”

“That was one of our puppets in the local gangs.” She scolded in a firm tone. 

Kai sat up and pressed the paper into Nya’s hands. “If he really wanted us dead, do you think he’d have any real trouble? And you said we’d need some better grunts. What was it? We need scalpels, not more spiked bats.” 

Nya rolled her eyes. “As if you’d know finesse it blew your head off. His kills are efficient and he doesn’t waste time leaving a trail of body parts.” 

The brother feigned a shrug of indifference, he stepped past his sister and gave a wave over his shoulder. “At least it keeps the police from identifying them. Look, I’ll go check up this drop point and if I die, you can just kill me yourself.”

Kai made sure to stop by their personal armoury before leaving - he still had some self preservation - and let his shoulders hike up and slouch as he walked. Those few who passed him on their way to unload cargo knew to stay out of his way.

The network of halls that criss crossed the back of their bar were as thick as an ants hive, making use of the limited space by building in a downward spiral. Stark fluorescent lighting glared down at him, Kai hated them but they were cheap and Nya spent too much time making them as efficient as possible. 

He tucked a pistol into the holster under his arm, paused, then grabbed another to slide into the second. Gathering ammunition and checking the chamber was empty, all of it was mechanical to him. Kai spent a few moments debating how many knives he should carry, then shrugged and tucked his switch-comb into his pocket. 

Adjusting his suit, Kai stepped into the back alley where a truck was unloading crates marked with some made up company. He watched from the top of the steps as grunts lifted the cargo off and down into the warehouses below the building. 

Most didn’t register him, but the ones who did quickly informed the others. The heads of most immediately dropped to stare at the ground as they worked. But there were some - fresh meat and punks cockier than himself - who stopped their work and met his low stare. 

“Wait, you’re supposed to be Mister Smith?” One of them asked aloud.

Kai smirked. The man helping him lift the crate went pale and nearly lost his grip. 

“Surprised?” He gestured to himself, stepping down with his hands hooked into his pockets.

“You’ve gotta be joking, this is who you guys are scared of?” The boy barked. “I used to steal lunch money from twinks like him.” 

“Shut the fuck up.” Someone hissed. 

Kai sized the grunt up with a brief glance; young, rebellious, probably came to his turf for kicks. He glanced to two other teens who held themselves in similar manners, arms crossed and unimpressed. 

The mob boss waved a hand, taking a single step into his personal space. “Nah, go on. I wanna hear what kinda pretty things you’ll say.” 

“You’re serious?” He gave a large, disbelieving stare. “I’m supposed to answer to you? Your sister sure, at least she’s hot - “

Kai decided not to give him the luxury of his thin patience. 

There was a sickening, squelching sound and the teen’s face suddenly dropped. A choked sound escaped his throat, too stunned to look down at the knife buried in his shoulder. The man growled, his smile filled with teeth and malice. 

He looked up, shaking under his hands. “Y - you - “

Kai leaned beside his mouth and twisted the blade. The boy's screams echoed down the alley, growing pained and bordering on whimpers as he slowly dragged the knife through the tendons and muscles. The process was difficult with such a small knife, but Kai knew where to lever so it slid through the skin like butter. 

One of his friends made a pitiful threat. “You w - won’t get a - away with that!” 

“Y - yea! My dads a - an officer! He’ll get you! My mom c - can sue you too!” 

He rolled his eyes. With one fluid motion, the blade stuck itself in the thigh of the second teen. Another shocked scream flooded the air and Kai knew he’d severed the main artery. His disdain grew when he saw a wet line run through the third teen’s sweatpants. 

Walking up to retrieve his knife, he twisted it before ripping out the blade. Blood spurted out of the wound, splashing against his teeth and cheek. Kai growled with satisfaction and kicked the staggering teen backwards. 

“Get out of my sight. All of you,” He shook off the blood and gestured to them each,” if I see you again, I promise daddy’s gonna get you back in pieces.” 

He watched as the three of them stumbled out from the alley. Behind him, Kai heard the rest of the men return to their work without prompting. Adjusting his jacket, he considered shooting the third one so the other two were guaranteed to bleed out before they staggered home.

He decided against it, figuring that Nya would chew him out for wasting ammunition and making another mess. Not to mention it’d be more satisfying to keep them alive, on the off chance he’d actually get a chance to follow through his threats.

Making his way to the dead drop that the assassin was allegedly going to meet him at, Kai kept his head up high and didn’t bother whipping the crimson stains off his face. Every so often, he’d pass another stranger who quickly turned the other way or simply froze as he passed by. 

The streets themselves weren’t anything high end, but not gutter poor either. Alleys and shop fronts were branded with both gang tags and ten-foot murals. The occasional plastic bag rolled through the wind. At one point he heard cheering and music blasted from an abandoned lot. 

Walking to the edges of his territory, Kai looked around to see that these buildings were actually respectable. The tags grew less frequent, replaced by modern condos and strolling families. He hastily scratched off the dried blood, knowing it wouldn’t do any favours here. 

He didn’t have an exact plan on where to go first, so Kai simply walked into the first place that looked fancy enough. That turned out to be an aquarium. There was a small fee he had to pay and Kai briefly considered if he could kill the clerk when nobody was looking. 

Kai fought the urge to snarl. It was too easy to imagine a single grenade sending the entire building crashing down on him. He wondered if he’d die from the shrapnel first, or have just enough time to suffocate. The walls were made of glass and doubled as the habitats for the animals. Light filtered through the water, casting rippling blue waves across the floor. 

Thankfully, there weren’t too many people here today. It made it easy to spot the only man who looked like him in the open floor plan. Ronnin was dressed more or less like he always was; leather jacket pulled over tight armour, eyepatch, red cone hat, scruffy hair and stubble. 

The smuggler didn’t notice as Kai stepped up behind him. His lone eye soon caught his reflection in the glass and he gave a small nod. “Been a while, kid. You here to talk about Ice Cold?” 

“Yea,” Kai shrugged, stepping beside the older man, “sure is a pretentious bastard. Choosin’ a place like this to meet.” 

He looked up to the aquarium itself. Schools of fish - yellow and orange speckles, silver teardrop-shaped - swam in circles around long bushels of floating kelp. Across the floor was a replica of a sea floor. The illusion was completed with plaster coral and colourful gravel. 

Ronnin glanced over his shoulder before passing Kai a manila envelope. “Never said he didn’t have tastes. Just don’t come asking me for more. I’ve never even met him in person.” 

“So he’s shy too, cute,” Kai took the envelope and held it under his arm, “can you tell me if he’s at least good lookin’?”

Ronnin rolled his eye. “Sorry, no can do. I don’t wanna know what you do to him, just don’t kill him. He does good work, even if he is… picky.” 

The mob boss frowned. Ronnin just pointed to the letter. “Open that when you’re outside, I wasn’t paid to explain his work habits. Good luck, kid.” 

Glad to finally step out of the building, Kai walked down the streets till he found a place barren of people. Leaning against an alley wall, he tore open the package and read the letter. 

_I am willing to provide my services. Enclosed is my contact information and a list of prerequisites for my targets. I would advise you to abide by them._

Kai let himself snort at the odd formality and borderline pretentious threat. He turned over the paper and found an email, but no phone number, along with a short list of bullet points. Reading them over, Kai’s amusement grew to mild contempt.

 _\- I will not kill anyone who has not brought harm to others_  
_\- I will not kill minors, irregardless of the first point_  
_\- I will be able to verify if you have violated any of these terms and once I have confirmed this, any form of contract between us is null and you will be my next mark_

“You’ve gotta be fuckin’ with me,” Kai was about to just crumple up the note and dismiss the assassin as just some elaborate hoax, “who does this bitch think he is?” 

The man realized the irony of his words, but he stood by them. Kai had known several hitmen and contract killers - they even had their own personal network of bounty hunters - and out of ten, maybe one of them held personal codes. And none of them as eloquent or morally righteous. 

If it weren’t for the proof of the Ice Cold Killers work, Kai wouldn’t have given him a second though. Re-reading both letters, he pocketed them and decided to get his sisters input before getting into contact a second time. 

Just as he turned to leave the alley, his ears perked up at the sound of a motor and the smell of gasoline. 

Sighing, he turned to see a set of motorcycles parked by the mouth of the alley. He knew this gang well. They had dealings before, but whatever truce they had didn’t extend past the Smith Siblings own territory. And by technicality, Kai was on neutral ground. 

One of the bikers threw off her helmet, shaking out a dark ponytail and showing off the white skull tattooed over her face. “How’s business been, Red?” 

“Pretty boring as of late.” He shrugged. “You?”

“You know I make my own.” 

“I’d expect nothin’ less, Violet.”

The woman cackled at the nickname, the other bikers - at least six he could see - flinched at the sudden sound. She pulled her own sai from her belt and flipped it casually. Kai drew his own knife. 

“I didn’t think you’d need more than three guys to take me on. I’m flattered.” 

“Please, we both know I’d need at least ten to give you a real challenge.” 

She jerked her head and three of them dismounted. Kai might’ve recognized them by their jackets, but he didn’t really care. The standoff stretched on for several tense seconds, until Ultra Violet slapped one on the ass.

“Come on! At least give us a show before he decides to shoot you.” She urged. 

Kai decided to further force their hands. Rushing forward, he grabbed the closest by his collar and threw him over his shoulder. Rolling over him with the momentum, Kai slammed his spine into the concrete. He dragged a crimson smile over his throat and another spray of blood hit his face. 

With an enraged scream - they must’ve been friends - the other five bikers joined the fight. Kai whipped out his pistol and shot two in the neck, crumbling to the ground. One drew their own blade and Kai dodged a wide slash, flipped the hilt, then dug it down his spine. 

A biker on the ground tried to pull something from their belt, but Kai shot their hand before sidestepping a punch. Dragging him up by the hair, the man bashed his head against the brick wall. His nose flattened, he could see his cheekbones and teeth crack under the assault. 

Kai threw his corpse to take another wild stab from behind. His friend looked on with a horrified shock as his knife stuck through his back. That moment's hesitation let Kai get close enough to grab him by the shoulders and dig his teeth into his throat.

Biting down, the thick taste of copper filled his mouth and the man’s scream nearly deafened him. He tore out a chunk of flesh and turned to face the remaining two. They had been smart enough to stay back, but were frozen stiff when they saw his bloody grin. Behind them, Ultra Violet gave a yawn. 

“God damn you guys aren’t fun,” she sighed, drawing her second blade, “well? Maybe one of you can actually scratch him this time.” 

It was Kai’s turn to laugh, flecks of spit and gore specked the air in front of him. In a fit of dangerous impulse, he tossed his gun to the ground. That gave them enough courage to make the first attack. 

The mob boss had to make sure not to trip on the bodies that littered the ground, or slip on the growing puddles of crimson. Dancing between them, the biker each threw close punches aimed at his stomach and face. Each time they did, Kai met them with a slash. 

Soon the sleeves of their jackets were ripped and their arms were dripping red. One made a dive for his fallen gun, but Kai threw his knife into his eye. The biker flinched at the sound of his crying and that gave the man the chance to pin him to the ground. 

Tearing out his throat again, Kai brushed his lips with the sleeve of his coat and straddled the hips of the last biker. He hadn’t thrown with enough force to impale his brain, leaving a bleeding socket as he tried to crawl away. 

His knife wasn’t close enough to reach, so Kai settled for holding his squirming head and snapped his neck. Overhead, he heard Ultra Violet give another gleeful cackle. Followed by the click of a gun. Kai didn’t look up, already rolling to the side and drawing his second pistol.

Raising his sights, his finger twitched on the trigger, before seeing the woman fall to the ground. Kai narrowed his eyes. Then he saw the long, thin needle sticking out from her neck. The glass shattered as she fell, leaving only tiny droplets of clear liquid sticking to the shards. 

The man looked to the opposite rooftops, expecting to catch the after image of a sniper barrel. Instead, he heard a voice from behind him. 

“You certainly have made red your colour, Mister Smith.” Zane mused. 

Kai blinked, stunned for a fraction of a moment as everything slid into place. As he turned to face the assassin, the pale man didn’t react to his gorey smile. Looking down to his neck, Kai noticed he was wearing a turtleneck. 

Rolling back his shoulders, he stalked towards Zane. The man didn’t back away, didn’t even flinch as Kai raised a dripping glove to cup his cheek. Zane gave him the faintest smirk but his eyes gave away the faintest hint of disdain. 

“It looks good on me, why not wear it.” He purred. “You wear it pretty damn well too. Shame you killed her, I kinda liked Violet.” 

Zane cocked an eyebrow. “I am aware of that fact. That is why she will not be waking up for several hours.” 

“Such a gentleman,” Kai pressed a dainty hand to his chest, letting his amusement drip through his voice, “you haven’t even bought me dinner yet.”

“I can see you’ve already satiated yourself.” 

The assassin gestured with his eyes to the mess of bodies behind him. The smell of death hung thick in the air, but that didn’t register to either of them. Kai threw an arm over Zane’s shoulder, grin widening at the smallest frown when his bloody sleeve stained his coat. 

“They tasted revolting. You on the other hand,” Kai licked his fangs, “you are absolutely delicious.” 

He didn’t give Zane a chance to protest, grabbing the high collar and pushing his tongue into his mouth. The blood was still cloying, but Kai reveled in the faint taste of sparkling champagne and mint. Zane didn’t immediately move to shove him away either and simply relaxed into his grip. 

Finally pulling back, now the assassins lips were stained crimson too. A pastel blush laid across his cheeks and Kai circled it with his thumb. Zane still kept his resolve well, expression still business-like.

“Judging by your actions, I can assume I already have an agreement between us?” He asked. 

Kai huffed. “I already told you, snowflake. You were mine the moment you walked into my den.”

“Then I suppose I should be flattered, Mister Smith.”

He pressed a finger to his lips. “Just call me Kai, baby.”

“Is that a request or an order, Mister Smith.” 

“Eh, not like I care either way. You’ll still sound sexy moaning my name.”

He dragged Zane down for another kiss, moving to push his coat off the assassin shoulders. But this time, a gentle hand at his chest made him pause. 

“I do not intend to have sex in an alley with a rotting set of cadavers as a witness. Nor while you are soaked in their blood.” Zane stated. “Besides, the police will have heard the gunshots. Unless you would like to spend this night in a jail cell, you should leave. I can at least make myself look presentable.” 

Kai hissed out his annoyance, rolling his eyes. “Right, I forgot you're pretentious and an asshole.”

“You seem to enjoy it.” Zane said. 

The worst part was that the assassin was right. Kai estimated he’d have maybe half an hour to get back to his own territory. Maybe less. 

“Fine. But see me tonight, you know where to find me.” Then added. “That’s an order, snowflake. Don’t keep me waiting.” 

“I never do.” 

Finally stepping back, Zane smoothed out his collar and pulled out a handkerchief to clean the blood off his mouth and buttoned up his jacket to hide the stains on his dress shirt. Kai gave a half-hearted attempt to clean off his own face, but he knew that’d be impossible.

“I’ll see you tonight then Kai. I hope your promise of a free drink still stands.” 

With that, Zane didn’t step back into the deeper shadows of the alley. Instead, he grabbed the rungs of the rusty fire escape ladder and began to ascend the sides of the building. Kai couldn’t help but admire the swiftness of his escape and the silence of his movements.

In seconds, all that remained of the assassin was the flash of his coat tails and the dying taste of mint on Kai’s tongue.


End file.
